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Racing: A Love Story

From street drag racing to the Spokane 200, the Spokane Raceway provided a venue for drivers and fans, local and from as far away as Arizona the opportunity to take part in a true American past time on August 24 and 25, 2012. These photos were shot for a Pacific Northwest Inlander assignment.

Crew Chief Kevin Richards installs a new spring on a shock for 17 year old West Valley High School Junior Blake Williams', not pictured, Late Model Class car at the Spokane County Raceway oval racetrack, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. The vehicle runs Victory Circle chassis with a Ford V8 engine. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Bump To Pass driver Gary Cosby prepares his 1980 Impala Station Wagon, with a Chevy 350 engine, for a practice run at the Spokane County Raceway oval racetrack, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Newman Lake, Wash. resident and Bump To Pass driver Justin Kirk sits in his 1975 Buick Station Wagon, with a Ford 460 engine, preparing for a practice run racetrack at the Spokane County Raceway oval racetrack, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Late Model Class cars are prepared for the following day's Spokane 200 race on the oval racetrack at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Quincy, Wash. resident and Crew Member Mike Knutson prepares to tighten bolts on East Wenatchee Driver Garrett Evans', not pictured, Late Model Class car at the Spokane County Raceway oval racetrack, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. The vehicle runs a Hamke Chassis with a Maropulis Chevy V8. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

17 year old West Valley High School Late Model Class driver Blake Williams, left, and his father and vehicle owner Don look across the oval racetrack at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. The vehicle runs Victory Circle chassis with a Ford V8 engine. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Flagman Larry Brown waves a checkered flag for a time trial driver on the oval racetrack, at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

8 year old Zachary Kness plays with his toy cars at the oval racetrack, at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Roadrunner Class Driver 19 year old Ben Cramer, right, speaks with his father Kevin Cramer, who drives a Nissan 200SX at the Spokane County Raceway oval racetrack, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Fan Charlie Grant watches racers approach the starting at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Grant prefers to sit behind the starting line stating that the area is better for race viewing. He has done this with the permission of organizers fo the past 2 years. He also says he keeps an eye on people coming and going to make sure there is no trouble. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

13 year old Junior Dragster Class Driver Jake Nickerson, right, puts on his helmt as his father walks by at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. The Nickerson family lives in Spokane Valley, Wash. Each member of the family races drag cars, including mother Merri, 22 year old brother Cody and 18 year old brother Dylan. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

A racer does a burnout at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Racers burnout before a race at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

A Junior Dragster races by at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Taping Crew member Tim Harmon cleans the burnout area before a race at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

(Left to right) 16 year old Devin Clark changes the rag on a puke tank as Mike Streeter and Owner/Driver Brooks Swanson work his Super Pro Class 1978 Manza chassis Chevy 555 V8 before a race at the Spokane County Raceway drag strip, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Swanson and Streeter are from Priest River, Idaho while Clark is from Spokane, Wash. The puke tank holds dirty oil from the motor. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

21 year old Phoenix, Ariz. resident and Driver Taylor Cuzick waits to begin a heat before the Spokane 200, at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Russ Osborne is moved to a gurney from his vehicle after a rollover crash during a Spokane 200 time trial at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. Osborne, who is paralyzed on the right side of his body, has a special vehicle that allows him to control all driving operations with the left side of his body. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Employee Julia Grier repeats an order at the concession stand at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Monroe, Wash. resident and Driver John Zaretzke (51) waits to begin a heat before the Spokane 200 at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Vehicles line up for a heat before the Spokane 200, at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Andy Brown (41) and other drivers race a heat before the Spokane 200, at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Fire crew members 15 year old Megan McCormick, left, and her father David Childs sweep tire rubber off the oval racetrack after Bump To Pass Driver Justin Kirk did a burnout after a race at at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Rodney "The Steamroller" Sankes, second from the right, launches promotional t-shirts at the oval racetrack grandstand during a race intermission as Chris Noel looks on, at the Spokane County Raceway, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Friday, August 24, 2012. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)

Spokane, Wash. resident John Staley points to an accident as his friend Ken Marl, from Post Falls, Idaho, looks on, during the Spokane 200 at the Spokane County Raceway oval track, in Airway Heights, Wash., on Saturday, August 25, 2012. This was Marl's first time attending a race in person. (Young Kwak/The Pacific Northwest Inlander)